Message aggregating dictation system

Abstract

A message aggregation system employs a coder. Each message or piece of information to be recorded is accompanied by an audio or digital code. The messages or information are recorded or originated in operation serially. This information is aggregated in that all messages accompanied by one code are stored in a first memory or record/playback unit, with all messages following a second code being similarly stored etc., so that messages are aggregated. All of the messages relating to one particular code thus can be transcribed or accessed without the necessity of referring to other messages that are irrelevant thereto.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
       1. Apparatus for aggregating messages comprising: first message recording means for serially recording messages, a plurality of second message recording units for recording aggregated messages, message originating means, coding means for selectively producing one of a plurality of codes, means for causing said coding means to produce a code associated with said origination of a message, message transmission means from said message originating means and said coding means to said first message recording means, playback means connected to said first recording means, transfer means connected to said playback means and to said second recording units and operated by said code to steer each message to a selected one of said second recording units, each message being recorded in a specific one of said recording units as steered by a respective code, and means connected to said recording units for selectively reading out messages recorded in a given recording unit as determined by a respective code. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the message originating means originates an audio message including data inputs, and wherein each recording unit comprises an audio recording unit. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and further including time and date coding means connected to said transmission means and operable to record time and date codes in said message recording units. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coding means comprises a voice recognition coder. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coding means comprises a keyboard for word coding. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said reading out means comprises an audio-sound transducer and visual display means. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first recording means is in an automatic telephone answering system connected in a telephone line. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus for aggregating messages comprising a serial recorder for recording a plurality of messages in the time order of receipt, message originating means connected to said serial recorder for recording messages thereon, coding means for selectively producing one of a plurality of codes, means interconnecting said coding means and said recorder for causing said coding means to produce a code associated with origination of a message to be recorded on said serial recorder, a plurality of messages thus being recorded and each identified by a code, playback means connected to said recorder for playing back the codes and messages recorded by said serial recorder, a plurality of message recorder units, code reading and transfer means interconnecting said playback means and said recording units for causing each message to be recorded in a selected one of said recording units according to the code by which it is identified, and means connected to said recording units for selectively reading out messages recording in said recording units as determined by a respective code. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said serial recorder comprises a tape recorder. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 and further including a playback control connected to said recording units and capable of generating the same codes as said coder for selectively playing back messages in a selected recording unit. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said playback control is programmed to sense selected codes for selectively reading out messages in a selected recording unit. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said playback control produces a code to effect erasure of selected messages. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said coding means provides audio tone codes. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said coding means includes means for converting voice inputs to code form. 
     
     
       15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said coding means provides digital codes.